Mullein flowers can be used to make tea, infused oils, and tinctures, each suited to different purposes. The flowers have a long history in herbal medicine, particularly for respiratory complaints and ear discomfort, and preparing them at home is straightforward once you know the basics.
Mullein Flower Tea
Tea is the simplest way to use mullein flowers. Steep 1 to 2 teaspoons of dried flowers in a cup of just-boiled water for 10 to 15 minutes, then strain carefully through a fine cloth or coffee filter. This straining step matters: the tiny hairs on mullein plant material can irritate your throat if they end up in your cup. Classical herbal use puts the daily amount at roughly 3 to 4 grams of dried herb, which works out to about two or three cups of tea per day.
Mullein flower tea has traditionally been used as an expectorant to help loosen chest congestion. In parts of the American Southwest, both the leaves and flowers are brewed together for bronchial infections and to relax the lungs and chest. The flowers contain polyphenols and flavonoids, compounds that act as antioxidants and may help calm irritated mucous membranes. The tea has a mild, slightly sweet flavor that most people find pleasant on its own, though honey pairs well with it.
Flowers vs. Leaves
Mullein leaves and flowers overlap in some uses but have distinct strengths. The leaves are the go-to for respiratory tea blends, prized for their soothing effect on irritated airways. The flowers, however, are the preferred part for making infused oil, especially the ear oil that is probably the most widely used mullein preparation today. Flower-based preparations have been historically used for hemorrhoids, swelling, and irritation of mucous membranes. If you’re making tea for a cough, either part works. If you’re making oil for ear discomfort, flowers are what you want.
Making Mullein Flower Oil
Mullein flower oil is the preparation you’ll encounter most often in herbal shops, and it’s easy to make at home using one of two methods.
Cold Infusion (Solar Method)
Fill a clean, dry jar loosely with mullein flowers, either fresh or dried. Pour olive oil over them until the flowers are fully submerged with about an inch of oil above the plant material. Cap the jar and place it in a sunny windowsill or warm spot. Let it steep for several weeks. Some herbalists recommend as little as one week, while others prefer a full six to eight weeks for maximum potency. The key is keeping all the plant material below the oil line to prevent mold. Shake or swirl the jar every day or two. When it’s ready, strain through cheesecloth, squeezing out as much oil as possible, and store in a dark glass bottle.
The American Botanical Council describes the traditional method as macerating the flowers in olive oil in the sun or another warm place for several weeks, then straining. This is the classic approach and requires no special equipment.
Hot Infusion (Faster Method)
If you don’t want to wait weeks, you can speed things up with gentle heat. Place the flowers and olive oil in a double boiler (or a heat-safe jar set in a pot of water) and warm on low heat for up to 3 hours. Keep the temperature low enough that the oil never simmers. Strain and store the same way. This method produces a usable oil in a single afternoon.
Using Mullein Oil for Ear Discomfort
Mullein flower oil is most commonly used as ear drops for pain associated with ear infections. A clinical study published in the journal Pediatrics tested a naturopathic ear drop formula containing mullein and found it was as effective as conventional anesthetic ear drops for managing pain from acute middle ear infections, with statistically significant pain improvement over the course of treatment.
To use it, warm the oil slightly by holding the bottle in your hands or placing it in warm water for a few minutes. Tilt your head and place two or three drops into the affected ear, then stay tilted for a minute to let the oil settle. The oil should feel comfortably warm, never hot. Do not put anything into an ear if you suspect a ruptured eardrum.
Making a Mullein Flower Tincture
Tinctures extract mullein’s active compounds into alcohol, creating a concentrated, shelf-stable preparation. Use 80 to 100 proof vodka or grain alcohol as your solvent. The standard ratio is 1:5 by weight, meaning one part dried mullein flowers to five parts alcohol. So for 30 grams of dried flowers, you’d use 150 milliliters of alcohol.
Place the flowers in a jar, pour the alcohol over them, seal tightly, and store in a cool, dark place. Shake the jar daily for four to six weeks, then strain through cheesecloth into a dark glass dropper bottle. Mullein flower tinctures are authorized in several countries as an expectorant for chest complaints including coughs, catarrh, and bronchitis. A typical dose is 1 to 2 dropperfuls taken in a small amount of water.
Harvesting Mullein Flowers
Mullein is a biennial, meaning it grows a low rosette of fuzzy leaves in its first year, then sends up a tall flower stalk in its second year. The best time to harvest is during that second year, when the plant is mature and flowering. Pick the individual yellow flowers when they’re in full bloom but before they start to wilt. Since mullein flowers open a few at a time along the stalk rather than all at once, you’ll likely return to the same plant over several weeks.
Harvest in the morning after the dew has dried but before the afternoon heat. If you’re drying the flowers for later use, spread them in a single layer on a screen or drying rack in a warm, well-ventilated area out of direct sunlight. They’re ready when they feel papery and completely dry, usually within a few days to a week depending on humidity. Store dried flowers in an airtight container away from light and heat.
Safety Considerations
Mullein flowers are generally well tolerated. No significant drug interactions or serious adverse effects have been documented in clinical literature. That said, the fine hairs on mullein plant material can irritate skin or mucous membranes, so always strain preparations thoroughly. People with known allergies to plants in the figwort family should avoid mullein. There is limited safety data for use during pregnancy or breastfeeding, so most herbalists recommend caution during those times.